The invention relates generally to optical articles. More particularly, the invention relates to anti-theft features for an optical article and methods of making same.
Shoplifting is a major problem for retail venues and especially for shopping malls, where it is relatively difficult to keep an eye on each customer while he shops or moves around in the store. Relatively smaller objects, such as CDs and DVDs are easy targets as they can be easily hidden and carried out of the shops without getting noticed. Shops, as well as the entertainment industry, incur monetary losses because of such instances. Due to the sensitive nature of the information stored inside, this problem become more severe if the CDs or DVDs are stolen from places like offices.
Even though close circuit surveillance cameras may be located at such places, shoplifting or stealing still occurs. Consumable products sometimes are equipped with theft-deterrent packaging. For example, clothing, CDs, audio tapes, DVDs and other high-value items sometimes are packaged along with tags that set off an alarm if the item is removed from the store without being purchased. These tags are engineered to detect and alert for shoplifting. For example, tags that are commonly used to secure against shoplifting are the Sensormatic® electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags based on acousto-magnetic technology. RFID tags are also employed to trace the items in store shelves and warehouses. Other theft-deterrent technologies currently used for optical discs include special hub caps for DVD cases that lock down the disc and prevent it from being removed from the packaging until the it is purchased, and “keepers” that attach to the outside of the DVD case packaging and also prevent the opening of the package until it is purchased. In some cases, retailers have resorted to storing merchandise in locked glass display cases. In other stores, the DVD cases on the shelves are empty, and the buyer receives the actual disc when the movie is purchased. Many of these approaches are unappealing in that they add an additional inconvenience to the buyer or store owner or they are not as effective at preventing theft as desired. Optical storage media, in particular, pose an additional problem in that they are very easy to remove from their packaging and the sensor/anti-theft tags may be removed easily.